Battling Hills, Heat, and Altitude: the Visit Casper Marathon
The Visit Casper Marathon marked its 22nd edition this year, and for me, it was an opportunity to cross another state off my sub-4-hour marathon list. Wyoming had eluded me in that regard, largely because my only previous marathon experience in the state was the Rocky Mountain Double Marathon 19 years ago—an event where there was clearly no way I could run any 26.2-mile segment in under four hours considering the 52-mile total distance. This time, however, I was determined to make it happen.
Casper sits at a higher elevation than even Fort Collins, and the race course climbed as high as 5,340 feet (1,628 meters). Combine that altitude with rolling hills that others had aptly described as “challenging,” and I knew the terrain wouldn’t be easy. That wasn’t the only obstacle—the forecast called for a scorching 91-degree high with zero cloud cover. Thankfully, the race’s 6:00 a.m. start time meant at least the early miles would be relatively cool—though it did require a 4:15 a.m. wake-up to have sufficient time for pre-race fueling and preparation (sunscreen to avoid UV damage and petroleum jelly to prevent chafing, for example), along with catching a shuttle from the host hotel to the race start at the Ford Wyoming Center. Still, I’d take early alarms over running in midday heat any day.
Despite the tough conditions and the fact that I hadn’t done a run longer than 10 miles since my last marathon a month ago, I felt confident I had the fitness to break four hours. My optimistic prediction was 3:40—a pace that seemed reasonable but would undoubtedly be tested by the hills, altitude, and heat. I went to bed before 9:00 p.m., fell asleep right after watching the Indiana Pacers win the Eastern Conference Finals against the New York Knicks on TV, and woke up ready to race.
As advertised, the race started promptly at 6:00 a.m. It commenced with the firing of a cannon:
The course design turned out to be quite strategic—kudos to the Visit Casper Marathon organizers. The first half featured most of the long climbs and wide-open exposure, while the latter half took us along a scenic, sometimes-shaded trail by the Platte River that had significantly less elevation gain and loss (although there were still some short-and-steep sections). I always prefer to tackle the toughest sections early when the legs are fresh and the morning air is cooler.
Settling into a steady rhythm from the start and focusing on taking the shortest line, I found myself behind a strung-out line of about a dozen runners. I stuck to my own pace, letting others pass me on the uphills even though they were breathing much harder than I was. Then, I’d easily pass them back on the descents by keeping braking to a minimum. With multiple race distances starting simultaneously—marathon, half-marathon, relay, and 10K—I kept an eye on bib number colors to figure out who was in my race whenever I saw them heading the opposite direction.
I reached the halfway mark in 1:41, pleased with the split given the hills and altitude. But I could already tell my legs felt heavier than they did at the same point during the Garmin Olathe Marathon last month. Aid stations appeared every couple of miles, and I grabbed Gatorade at all but the earliest, knowing how critical hydration would be under the blazing sun. My pace slowed, gradually but steadily, as my quads and calves started to get sore. During the final 10K, other runners started catching me.
At Mile 23, I slowed to grab a quick drink and nearly experienced full-blown leg cramps. I managed to avert them, but by the final mile, my pace had dropped to a pace that I normally can run with my heart rate in Zone 1. I wasn’t looking at my watch, running solely by perceived effort, but it didn’t require any fancy electronics to know that I was both aching and virtually crawling.
As if to add insult to injury, with just 400 meters to go, the first-place woman, flanked by several bicycle pacers, blazed past like I was sitting in an armchair. I was able to muster a decent final sprint at 200 meters but had no chance of catching her—she beat me by 14 seconds.
Still, seeing the race clock movitated me to sprint quick enough to sneak under 3:42, crossing the finish line in 3:41:58. My estimates for all races thus far this year—Vig-Bay, Garmin Olathe, and now Casper—had been eerily accurate, within two minutes of the final results. This time, however, I was on the slower side of my prediction.
I didn’t linger much post-race, choosing to walk back a mile to my hotel rather than wait for a shuttle. The slow stroll through quiet, clean downtown Casper felt relaxing and refreshing.
Arriving early enough to take my time before checking out, I faced a couple of hilariously painful moments. My abdominal muscles seized up while I bent down to remove my socks. Later, after an intentionally long, ice-cold shower, my left leg completely cramped when I reached down to put on a shoe. It locked up for a full 45 seconds while I could do nothing but breathe deeply and wait for it to desist—a throwback to my ordeal during the final mile of the 2018 Blue Sky Marathon.
Post-race hunger sent me searching for a Chipotle, only to discover that Wyoming has just two locations with the closest all the way in Laramie—150 miles away. Instead, I found an excellent Mexican fast-casual restaurant called Charrito’s in nearby Evansville and savored a fantastic shrimp bowl before driving back to Fort Collins. I arrived in time to attend a friend’s party that was attended by members of our French and Spanish conversation groups.
Another long race conquered, another lesson in pacing, hydration, and endurance. The Visit Casper Marathon delivered everything I expected—altitude, hills, heat, and a satisfying, hard-earned finish. It’s also now the 38th state I’ve run a sub-4 marathon.
Race Data
First half: 1:41:XX
Second half: 2:00:XX
Final time: 3:41:58 (8:28/mile or 5:16/km)
Overall place: 15 / 113
Division place: 4 / 26
Male place: 14 / 78
Official results
Lodging Recommendations for This Race
The host hotel was the Best Western Downtown Casper Hotel, located about half a mile from the race finish at Davis Street Station. Since the start at the Ford Wyoming Center is approximately 2.5 miles north of the finish, organizers arranged a shuttle service from the host hotel to the start between 4:30 and 5:20 a.m.
If you’re planning to do this race, I recommend reserving a room at the Best Western Downtown Casper Hotel as early as possible through the official Visit Casper Marathon website. The provided link offered a generous group rate—about $90 per night, nearly a 50% discount! The hotel also accommodated runners with late check-out.
However, if you commit to the race at the last minute, there likely would be no availability at the host hotel. As that was the case for me, I booked a room at the AmericInn by Wyndham, which was a 10-minute walk away. On race morning, I jogged the half-mile to the Best Western for the shuttle, leaving my car at the AmericInn. It was a decent three-star hotel, though slightly more expensive than the Best Western’s group rate. When checking in, I requested late check-out, but confirmation only came while I was racing. Despite this, the cleaning staff had already stripped the beds before I returned, suggesting a miscommunication between the front desk and housekeeping.
Another option is the Riverside Hotel, adjacent to the AmericInn and even closer to the Best Western. I opted for the AmericInn based on higher reviews.
Alternatively, you could book any hotel that suits your budget and preferences, then drive to and park at the Best Western Downtown Casper Hotel on race morning to catch the shuttle. Parking was plentiful.
There are 4 comments.
Now I have the story behind the Strava results. You survived and reached your goal! What found interesting was that your HR stayed very consistent. When I am losing my form, my HR will spike.
I guess I’m good at maintaining a steady effort! I do think the heat in the second half of the race kept my heart rate a few beats higher than it otherwise would have. In past marathons, my heart rate has sometimes been lower in the second half than in the first—likely because microscopic muscle tears cause enough pain to slow me down, making the cardiovascular system less of a limiting factor. In this race, my cadence held steady until Mile 25 (when that dropped too), but my stride length had already shortened significantly due to soreness, resulting in a much slower pace.
Now that I think about it, there were very few moments during the race when I was even breathing hard. The one in-race photo (taken on the downhill) shows me with my mouth open, but otherwise, I was very conscious of keeping my mouth closed and breathing only through my nose.
Congratulations on another strong marathon!
You are a running machine!
Thanks, JZ! I was happy to knock off another one before I head back to Spain.
Do you have any races coming up?